China is infiltrating Taiwan by exploiting existing business and exchange channels, leveraging Taiwan’s systems to make its activities appear like routine interactions, a Taiwanese academic said yesterday.
Citing the indictment of Xu Chunying (徐春鶯) — a resident of Taiwan by marriage since 1998 and director of the Taiwan New Immigrant Development Association — Tunghai University Center for Mainland China and Regional Development Research deputy director Hung Pu-chao (洪浦釗) said the case, if proven, would point to a broader, systematic approach rather than an isolated incident.
Xu was indicted last week on suspicion of involvement in Beijing-directed election interference.
Photo: Reuters
She is accused of contravening the Anti-Infiltration Act (反滲透法) and facilitating visits to Taiwan by Sun Xian (孫憲), deputy head of the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang in Shanghai, since 2004.
According to the indictment, Sun allegedly applied to visit Taiwan through a company affiliated with Xu’s daughter, but deviated from his declared itinerary after entering the country.
Sun allegedly made multiple visits to Taiwan from 2004 to last year, traveling to Taipei, New Taipei City, Keelung, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Tainan and Taitung, the indictment said.
During those visits, Sun allegedly met with members of new immigrant groups and claimed to have direct access to Beijing, the indictment said, adding that he allegedly encouraged participants to promote the “one country, two systems” framework.
Hung said the case illustrates how such activities rely on seemingly legitimate exchanges as cover, allowing operatives to blend into routine cross-strait interactions.
China does not need to establish new mechanisms for such efforts, as it can leverage existing application systems and local collaborators to legitimize visits, he said.
Once in Taiwan, individuals can deviate from their stated purpose to engage in political activities, including meetings and outreach, Hung said.
The case also highlights weaknesses in Taiwan’s immigration and customs system, which maintains strict entry requirements, but has comparatively limited oversight after entry, he said.
Hung urged the government to review and bolster monitoring mechanisms to better detect discrepancies between declared purposes and actual activities.
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